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Do you need a health care power of attorney?

On Behalf of | Feb 6, 2023 | Estate Planning |

Planning for the future involves much more than simply considering what you want to happen to your Texas estate after you pass away. One important aspect of creating a complete estate plan is including plans for your care and support in the event you are unable to care for yourself. Incapacitation due to illness, injury or other reason can limit your ability to express your wishes and make important decisions for yourself.

For this reason, it can be useful to include a health care power of attorney in your estate plan. This document provides you the opportunity to have a measure of control over certain matters by appointing an individual to act on your behalf. With a health care power of attorney, you may be able to face an unknown and unpredictable future with confidence.

The benefits of a health care power of attorney

A power of attorney is a document that appoints a person to act on behalf of someone else in certain situations. A health care power of attorney gives this authority to a specific person so that he or she can make medical decisions on behalf of a grantor. This would be in effect in situations where the grantor is unable to speak for himself or herself, allowing the appointed individual to make decisions regarding medical care, treatment and more.

When making a decision regarding the appointment of a health care power of attorney, it is useful for that individual to be someone you trust and who can maintain this important responsibility. You may also be able to name an alternate proxy in case your original selection is unavailable. A health care proxy will work in conjunction with your medical care providers in order to make the best possible decisions on your behalf.

What you need for a complete plan

A health care power of attorney is an important document that may be useful in the future. This document works best in conjunction with a living will, which is a document that allows you to name specific types of medical treatment you do or do not want. If you do not currently have either of these documents as part of your estate plan, you may benefit from adding these as a way to maintain control over personal and sensitive issues pertaining to your health care.